All About Soul
by draco's annie
Summary: Hermione wants out of her marriage with Ron and to live happily ever after with Draco. But one unplanned surprise changes her plans and Draco runs. As Hermione and Ron's best friend, can Harry help them to sort out there problems? sequel 2 All I Have Give
1. Chapter 1

**The Recovery And The Plan**

_**Author's Note: **_Welcome to the first chapter of All About Soul, the sequel to All I Have To Give! I suggest you read All I Have To Give before you continue reading any further because you probably wont understand what is happening since this leaves off almost directly after it. Other than that, enjoy!

_She waits for me at night, she waits for me in silence  
She gives me all her tenderness and takes away my pain  
And so far she hasn't run, though I swear she's had her moments  
She still believes in miracles while others cry in vain  
_

It was two days after Draco had knocked Ron out cold and saved Hermione from being violated. Hermione had taken most of her clothes from the house and was now staying with Draco in his apartment. Draco had moved out of Malfoy Manor three years earlier because it held too many unpleasant memories of his parents and the dark things that had happened under its roof. The apartment had two bedrooms, a small kitchen and dining area with a very roomy lounge room.

Hermione had taken the second bedroom because even though Draco and herself were now a couple, she was still married to Ron and it didn't feel right to sleep in the same bed as Draco. They had both continued to work as normal, with Hermione at the Ministry during the day and Draco at the law firm at night. This meant that they hadn't seen much of each other for the last couple of days.

Draco was sitting in his apartment at twelve o'clock after sleeping for seven hours after work. He hadn't seen Hermione since he had left for work the day before and it was nearly time for lunch so he decided to surprise her. He pushed himself off the black leather couch heading for the kitchen bench where he had dumped his work id, pocket watch and sack of coins after he had gotten home from work. He had found that Hermione had fixed him a small snack for him before she had gone to bed, leaving a note that read 'Made with love for a hard worker' and he had sat at the bench to enjoy it.

He collected his pocket watch and coins, putting them into his pocket and walked into his bedroom to change into something nice to wear to lunch. When he was in a snug pair of dark blue jeans and a navy coloured shirt he apperated into the Ministry lobby. He waked over to the administration desk and asked if Hermione was still in her office. The woman behind the counter informed Draco that she was already at lunch with a friend and wouldn't be back for half an hour.

_Dam, just when I needed everything to go right_ Draco thought to himself and then asked if she knew where Hermione and the friend had gone to eat. All he got for his trouble was a shake of the head and a sorry. _Well this is just great _Draco mused sarcastically before he turned, walked away and then disapperated.

He had decided to try and find Hermione in the place where he first ate with her after bumping into each other. He strolled down the street filled with cafes and restaurants on either side. He scanned each place carefully, looking for Hermione in her neat business-like robes. He was just over half way down the street, with no luck so far, when he heard a familiar laugh. It wasn't Hermione's or any of his old Slytherin friends, but it still seemed very familiar.

He kept walking and started to look more intensely around each shop's tables. There was that laugh again and Draco knew it was a man's laugh but who's he could still not pin point. He searched two more cafes before he found who the laugh belonged to.

"Potter," he said as he reached the table that Harry and Hermione were sitting at. "I knew that laugh was familiar." Both Harry and Hermione were looking up at him with surprised faces, though Hermione's changed to a face that looked very happy to see him quite rapidly.

"How did you know where I would be?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, I have my ways," replied Draco with a small smirk crossing his face.

"We were just talking about you actually," Harry commented and then added, "Grab a chair and join us."

Malfoy looked confused at Harry. Could he be serious? He certainly didn't look like he was kidding so he took Harry's advice, grabbing a chair from the empty table beside them and sitting with Harry and Hermione either side of him. He wanted to ask why Harry's attitude towards him had changed all of a sudden but instead just went with the it and didn't argue. It would be nice to be treated like a friend, instead of an enemy, for once. "What were you saying about me?" he asked after his thoughts settled and he felt reasonably comfortable between the best friends.

"I was just telling Harry about your job," Hermione answered Draco.

"Is that what you were laughing at?" Draco asked looking straight at Harry, shocked that he could find being a lawyer and helping people funny. "Think my job is funny, do you? I bet you couldn't do it."

Harry couldn't help but laugh again as he was reminded of their meeting on the train to Hogwarts in their very first year. Seeing as Malfoy didn't look to appreciate the laughter, he stopped and composed himself enough to say, "Well, it is just that I didn't quiet picture a guy with an upbringing like yours to spend your time helping get others out of trouble."

"People can change," Draco stated coldly.

"Yes, they sure can," Harry sighed in agreement. Draco didn't know what to say to that so he let it be. He turned his attention to Hermione who was sipping her tea and had a plate of half eaten food in front of her. He watched her pick up her knife and fork again and start to cut the crumbed chicken breast on her plate. It made him feel a little out of place when Harry also picked up his utensils and started on his own food again as well.

There was silence for a few minutes while Hermione and Harry ate with Draco watching. Hermione was first to break it as she noticed Draco getting uncomfortable. "Have you eaten lunch yet?" she asked.

"Ah… no, I haven't yet."

"Why don't you call a waiter over and order something? Don't let us stop you from eating."

Draco had been too focused on what Harry and Hermione were doing that he didn't think about himself. He felt his stomach grumble and since he hadn't eaten since he had woken up he decided "Mmm, I think I will order something."

Draco called the waitress to their table as she passed another table close by. She came to stand in between Draco and Hermione with her quill and small roll of parchment ready to take an order. "Can I please have the chicken schnitzel with a side of vegetables?" Draco asked.

"Sure," replied the waitress jotting down a small note on the parchment. "Would you like anything to drink with that, sir?"

"Ah, yes. I would like an ice tea." Draco looked to Hermione and Harry and then asked "You two want anything else?"

"No thanks," said Harry. Hermione looked down into her empty cup of tea. "I'll have another cup of tea if you don't mind?"

"Not at all madam." The waitress then rattled off what they had ordered and when Draco confirmed the order she walked towards the kitchen with Hermione's empty cup in hand.

"So Hermione, you were saying before that you were seriously thinking of divorcing Ron after what he did," Harry said starting up the conversation he and Hermione had been sharing before Draco had shown up.

"Yeah, I am. I can't live with him anymore, not after what he tried to do. I don't think I can forgive him for even trying something like that, let only forget the actions and live with him. Who knows what he is capable of after that?" Hermione was trying hard to stay as calm as she could, but both Draco and Harry could see it was taking a fair bit of effort for her to do so.

"I will support you as much as I can while you go through this, you know that don't you?" Draco urged trying to reassure Hermione.

"And Ginny and I are behind you as well," added Harry to strengthen Draco's statement. "You can count on all of us for support and you can come to us anytime you need to. We will be there for you. You are not alone."

Hermione smiled as she fought back the tears that were welling in her eyes. "Thank you. You know it means so much to me to have both of you by my side." She wiped a tear that had escaped from her eye off her face. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

"You will never have to know," Draco said confidently and moved out of his seat to kneel down besides her, putting a comforting arm around her.

Just then the waiter returned with Draco's order. As she saw what was happening before her she thought many things but did not say a word. Harry instructed her on where to place the food and drinks and then she turned and left. By this time Hermione had wiped all the tears from her eyes and she told Draco to sit down and eat. Draco didn't argue with her. He moved back up to his seat, picking up his knife and fork and started to eat while continuing the conversation with them.

"Okay, so we have established that you want to divorce Ron, but have you any plan as to how you are going to make that happen?" Draco asked.

"Well, I guess that is where you come in? Isn't it?" said Hermione uncertainly.

"I can help you, yes, but you will need to find a lawyer to help draw up some legal divorce papers and then you will have to inform Ron. He has to sign the papers as well and if he doesn't agree with anything he will most likely force you to go to court and fight for the terms you want," Draco said as if he had seen it before and knew from experience.

"I have already found a lawyer. That is if you-" Hermione was cut off by Draco.

"Wait just a minute there," he expressed. "You want me to be your lawyer?"

"Yes… well, why not?" asked Hermione a little puzzled.

"For one, I'm too involved personally in the case-" This time Hermione was the one to cut him off.

"Draco, you are the only one that saw what Ron did. I know you are one of the only people that could truly understand how I feel. Please Draco, I don't want to find another lawyer when I already have one and from what your boss has told me, you are one of the best," Hermione pleaded with him.

"I still don't think it is a good idea," said Draco. "And since when did you talk to my boss?"

"I was looking for a lawyer and found the firm you work for in the Daily Prophet. I made an appointment to see if they were able to help me. I didn't know the person I was going to see was your boss until after I met her. You were the first person she recommended and I was shocked at hearing your name. I had to explain some of the situation to her and she practically said that if I was hire anyone else you would mostly likely question everything they did, most likely taking over the case yourself anyway. So, I should save my money and just ask you."

"Would you really trust someone else to do the job as sufficiently as you think you could or would?" Harry asked. Draco saw the serious look in his eyes as he asked the question. He thought about it for a moment, thinking of all the people he worked with and how much he trusted each of them. But Harry was right, he didn't know anyone else that he might trust enough to handle the case, though the trust he had in his boss was quite close. If he needed help, she would definitely be the one to go to.

"No," Draco finally sighed, "I don't suppose there is anyone that I would trust enough."

"So you will do it then?" Hermione asked hopefully.

"I don't think I have a choice, do I?"

"You have a choice but we'll take that as a yes," said Harry.

Draco turned to Harry, "So what is your role in this anyway? Isn't Ron your best friend?" he asked suspiciously

"Yes, but so is Hermione. At the moment I think she needs my help more than Ron does."

"Well at least you have your priorities straight."

Harry didn't know what to say to that. Was it a matter of priorities? He didn't think so. Hermione had been the victim and Ron was getting out of control. Hermione needed the moral support but Ron also needed help. Ron needed what muggles called therapy. Harry wondered if they had wizard therapist because he couldn't exactly take Ron to a muggle one. He would have to look into it.

While Harry had been thinking Draco had gone back to eating and Hermione had taken to sipping at her new cup of tea. He saw the plate in front of her was empty and then looked down at his own. He still had some chicken on it and his tea was only half drunk and probably quite near cold. He picked up his knife and fork to finish off the chicken.

A waiter came and took his and Hermione's empty plates.

"So Draco, what will be our first line of action?" Hermione asked to break the near awkward silence. Draco thought about this for a second. "Well, can you come into my office this evening?"

"You mean after dinner?"

"Yeah, anytime tonight. It is usually pretty quite and I nearly have all my paperwork up to date, so if you want to go home, have something to eat, freshen up a little and then come in that should be fine."

"Alright, I can do that."

"Do you want me to come in with her as well?" asked Harry

"If you would like, but it isn't really necessary," Draco replied. He would have preferred it to just be Hermione so they might have some time together where it was just them. Hermione might have been thinking the same thing as she began to speak.

"Harry, don't you think you should go and see how Ron is? I'm sure you don't want him to think that you are against him and you are probably the only person that could make him see sense."

"Yes," said Draco, agreeing with Hermione. "Ron does need someone to help him see what the consequences of his actions are and that maybe if he really loved Hermione, he would let her be happy."

"I know," Harry sighed.

"You need to help Ron through this as much as you need to help me, though maybe Ron even more so," said Hermione.

"I don't know how much I can help him," Harry said.

"You at least have to try."

"Okay, I will go to his house tonight after work."

"Thank you Harry. I still care for him but I cant love him anymore."

"I understand."

"And that is eventually what Ron will have to understand as well," Hermione stated.

They continued their conversation for a while and then Hermione and Harry had to go back to work. Draco went home, deciding to rest some more before he made himself dinner and then left for work before Hermione got home.

---

Harry firecalled Hermione just before he was about to go and see Ron. "Hey Hermione! Are you home?" he called out.

"Yeah!" came the shouted reply from somewhere in the house. "I will be out in a second. I'm just getting changed."

"Okay," Harry shouted back. He only had to wait thirty seconds before Hermione walked into the room dressed casually but quite eye catchly. "And where do you think you are going dressed like that?" Harry said teasingly.

"To see Draco," Hermione replied and then looked down at her favourite deep red, low cut top and her tight fitting jeans. "Do you think it is a bit too much? I should go change, shouldn't I?" and she began towards the bedroom.

"No, no Hermione. Come back," Harry implored. "You look great and I'm sure Draco will really appreciate it. I'm glad I didn't insist on coming now," he said with a smile and both laughter and understanding in his tone.

"Yeah," Hermione smiled back at him. "Draco and I haven't really spent any time together after what happened with Ron. I felt like looking a little special for him."

"It's okay Hermione. You don't have to explain yourself to me. You just enjoy yourself with him tonight." Harry could hardly believe that he was telling Hermione to enjoy herself with Draco Malfoy, but he made her happy and it was obvious that he really cared for her. Of course if he ever hurt her Harry would take it upon himself to punish him.

"I might be able to do that if I can keep myself from worrying about how Ron is going to react to me actually ending our marriage," Hermione sighed.

"Let me worry about Ron. Oh, and that reminds me of the reason I called in the first place. I was wondering if there was anything that you wanted to tell Ron or whether there was anything you might have left at his house that you want me to get for you?"

"I'm quite sure I have all my possession but you could give him a message for me."

"And what would that be?"

"Tell him that I hope that after all this is over and he gets the help that he needs that we still might be friends."

"I will."

"Thank you."

"No problems. Now I think I better go before it gets too late and Ron gets into the heavy stuff."

"Good idea. I should probably head off to Draco's office too. Good luck Harry."

"You too," and with that Harry disappeared and the fire burned an orange-yellow once more.

_**Author's Note:**_ Well, that is it for the first chapter of what might prove to be my second longest fic to date. Hope you will tell me your thoughts on this chapter by reviewing below.


	2. Complications

**Chapter 2: Complications**

_It's all about soul  
It's all about faith and a deeper devotion  
It's all about soul  
'Cause under the love is a stronger emotion  
She's got to be strong  
'Cause so many things gettin' out of control_

_Should drive her away  
So why does she stay?  
It's all about soul_

Hermione walked into the building where Draco worked. She went up to the administration desk and asked if they could contact Draco and tell him that she was here because he was expecting her. The man behind the desk told Hermione to take a seat and Draco would be out soon. She didn't really feel like sitting down but she went over to the comfy looking couches anyway.

Hermione only had to wait for a minute before she saw Draco coming towards her. He was wearing his normal work robes but somehow he looked better than usual. It could have just been the broad smile he had on his face. He looked so happy to see her it gave Hermione flattering feeling in her stomach and her own broad smile. Ron had never been about to make her feel like this just by smiling at her.

She stood up at Draco came closer and greeted him with a bright "Hello."

"Hi," Draco replied, "I had been waiting for the call from the front desk. I finished all my paperwork about fifteen minutes ago and I started to look up a few things I wasn't one hundred percent on." He stopped talking and looked straight at Hermione, taking all of her in for the first time. His eyes widen and he swallowed before he spoke again. "Wow," he said in a soft voice. He knew she had a good figure but hadn't know she could look this good in the clothes she was wearing.

Hermione looked down at herself and then let out a small giggle. "I thought you would like my choice of clothes. I hope it wont distract you too much though."

"I think I might need the distraction," Draco retorted and they both laughed. "Come on, I will take you into my office and we can get started." Draco turned and gestured for Hermione to follow him. Hermione wasn't sure whether Draco meant they were going to start talking legal matters about the divorce or whether he was hinting at something else but she knew there was only one way to find out and she began to walk after him.

As they walked past a few of the other offices to get to Draco's a couple of the male lawyers made cat calls at Hermione. Draco didn't pay them any attention and all Hermione could do was smile at the compliment but made sure to keep up with Draco, trying not to look at he guys making the calls.

They reached Draco's office and he opened the door, letting Hermione walk in before he followed her. He gestured for her to sit down and he moved to sit behind his desk. Hermione chose one of the two chairs in front of Draco's desk to sit on and then looked around. All the walls were painted a creamy white and bare of any paintings, photos or anything else. The only way to see outside the office was through the window at the top half of the door. Nobody could really see Draco behind his desk unless they opened the door and walked in and they could only really see Hermione if the stepped right up to the door and looked in. Draco had a great amount of privacy in this office.

"Did you chose which office you wanted or was this one just given to you?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I chose it," said Draco, "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I just noticed that it seems to be a fair bit more private then the other offices we past," Hermione said casually.

"Yeah, well… I like my privacy. I picked the office when I still wasn't really totally accepted in wizarding society," explained Draco.

"Why haven't you asked to change your office?" Hermione asked. "I know in the ministry we rotate who get which office every three years or so."

"This isn't the ministry and I still like my privacy. I have gotten used to this office and I don't think anyone else wants it anyway."

"Fair enough," said Hermione not wanting to start an argument. She watched Draco as he flicked through a pile of papers in front of him. He seemed to be looking for something. "What are you looking for?"

"Standard divorce contract," answered Draco plainly, not looking up from his search.

"Oh," said Hermione. So they were going to get straight to business. She had half hoped that he would get too distracted by her outfit but maybe that would come later. Business was all right.

"Ah," Draco exclaimed pulling a bunch of papers out from the middle of the pile. "Found them." He put them to one side and then moved the rest of the pile onto the floor beside his chair. He started talking to Hermione as if she was just another client, though the language he used was more casual than what he generally would have used with his other clients. He didn't use as many 'big words' and explained the lawyer jargon in simple English and a few times with a couple of expletives.

It was nearly eleven o'clock before Draco finished reading, explaining and personally the contract to Hermione's needs. "Well, that looks to have covered everything. I'll have to re-draft it tomorrow and then get my boss to check over it before we send notification to Ron."

"It doesn't seem like it is real but I know it is," said Hermione. "I can hardly believe that it is real."

"I know you never thought you would be doing this when you accepted Ron's marriage proposal, but I cant say that I never thought of it," Draco told her truthfully. When Hermione didn't reply Draco continued. "You know how during the war I turned to the Light and I had to prove that I wasn't going to turn back to Voldemort. Your friendship after I explained why I wanted to help destroy the Dark Lord really helped me to gain others friendship and trust. I don't think I have ever properly thanked you for that."

Hermione opened her mouth to cut in but Draco stopped her with his outstretched hand. "No, don't. I need to say this and I think you need to hear it." Hermione closed her mouth and he put his hand down. "After a while I felt genuinely accepted by most people, especially you Hermione. I started to feel more than friendship towards you. I tried to fight my feelings for you but I couldn't. They were always there whether I pushed them away or embraced them. Either way I believed you would never feel that same for me. You were so close to Ron and he loved you. I couldn't compete with him."

This time Hermione just cut in, her voice a little hoarse as if she was holding back tears. "Draco, why are you telling me all this?"

"Because, I want you to know how much you mean to me." He got up from his chair and walk around his desk. He sat down in the chair beside Hermione, moving it closer to her as he did so. She wasn't looking at him so he reached out, placing his hand on her cheek and gently moving her head to face him. He caressed the soft skin on her cheek with his thumb. Hermione put her hand up to his, pulling it away from her face so she could it in her hands.

She moved her whole chair around so that she was now facing Draco, still holding his hand in hers. Draco stood up and pulled Hermione up with him. He wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. She let go of his hand and took a step closer to him, not that she could get much closer. She both placed her arms around him and looked up. His mouth was only inches from hers and the space between them was growing smaller as Draco started to lean in. Hermione rose up to met him, their lips locking in an emotion filled kiss.

Hermione was the first to pull away from the kiss. They were both holding each other now and Hermione looked up into Draco's dazzlingly grey eyes. She couldn't help but think that this was wrong. One voice in her head told her to push him away while another told her to kiss him again. Something must have shown on her face because Draco asked "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry," she replied and pushed him to arms length. He let her do it, removing his arms from around her.

"No, I'm sorry," said Draco, "I thought you wanted me to kiss you-"

"I did," Hermione said cutting him off. "Oh Draco, I did want you to do that." She clasped in the chair and put her hands over her face. "Its just that every time you do there is a part of me that tells me I shouldn't being doing it. I shouldn't feel the way I do about you. That it is wrong." Draco had knelt down in front of her and was pulling her hands down from her face. He lifted her chin so that he could see her face and looked into her eyes when he told her, "I don't want to hurt you."

"I know you don't," she sighed. "It's not your fault. I just…" but she couldn't put how she was feeling into words. It was too confusing.

"Maybe you should go home and get some rest," suggested Draco.

"Maybe," said Hermione but made no effort to move from the chair. Draco stood and walked behind his desk. Almost as soon as he sat down there was a knock on the door. Hermione looked at the door and then at Draco. "Who is it?" Draco called.

"It's me Draco. I need you to take a client that just came in. I wouldn't ask but everyone else is busy," came Draco's boss' voice from outside the door.

"Okay. I'll be in your office in five. I just need to finish up here."

"Sure thing."

Hermione heard her walking away from the door and when she couldn't hear the footsteps anymore she started to talk. "I guess I should go then." She stood and went for the door but Draco stopped her from opening it with the use of a quick locking charm. She looked back at him. He had that smirk of his face that told her he was up to something. He put his wand down on the table as he got up and moved towards Hermione. His armed moved behind her back for the second time that night and he pulled her close to his body.

"Don't I get a goodbye kiss?" he asked in a mischievous tone.

"Don't you think that is asking a little much after what happened before?"

"Please Hermione," Draco said pleadingly and she couldn't resist that face and those pouted lips. She reached up and gave him a light kiss on the mouth. Draco looked at her as if to say "Is that all?" Hermione just pushed his arms back to his sides, pulled out her wand and unlocked the door non-verbally. She opened the door and walked out without even a glance back at Draco. As soon as she could she apparated back to the apartment.

---

When Harry finished at work he apparated straight to the back of Ron's house. He knocked on the back door and waited for Ron to let him in. The door opened a minute later to reveal Ron in some old jeans and baggy red T-shirt. He held the door open with his right hand while his left was clasped around a half empty bottle of butterbeer. When Harry saw what was in the bottle he was relieved it wasn't firewhiskey. Ron had take quite a liking to that particular drink over the past week and Harry knew if he kept it up Ron might lose his job as the Keeper on the regional Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons.

"Hi Ron," Harry greeted him, "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Ron said and stepped aside so Harry could walk past him and through to the lounge room. Ron locked the door and followed his friend back into his house. He sat down in the armchair he had been in before Harry had knocked on the door and Harry sat on the three-seater opposite him. "So did you come straight from work?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, thought you might like some company," Harry told him causally. "Have you had dinner yet?"

"Not yet." Ron said it as if he didn't plan on eating for a while. Harry had worked up an appetite during his last hours at work but he thought his stomach might settle for a drink.

"Do you mind if I get myself a drink?"

"No, help yourself." Ron said it automatically, like he had hardly heard a word Harry had said. Harry went to the fridge and pulled out a butterbeer for himself, all the while thinking of a something to test whether Ron was really paying attention and just a tad high on the butterbeer or whether his mind was elsewhere tonight. He finally thought a Quidditch question might do it.

"Do you think you have a chance at playing for England in the next Quidditch World Cup?" he said when he pulled his head back out of the fridge, closing the door with a butterbeer in hand. Harry found Ron looking at him, his eyes showing some surprise at the question but his mouth gave him an answer all the same. "A minimal one but still a chance. I'm not keeping my hopes up though."

Harry sat back down on the couch and opened his butterbeer but he didn't drink any of it yet. Instead he sighed and said "Okay Ron, what is on your mind?"

Ron looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you have something on your mind and I want to know what it is. I have an idea but I want you to say it."

"I don't know what you're talking about Harry," said Ron firmly.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Harry exclaimed, "and the sooner you say it the sooner we can talk about it."

"I don't want to talk about it," Ron said more stubbornly, this time, than firm.

"So you admit there is something on your mind?"

"No," answered Ron but the look on his face and tone of his voice told Harry that he knew he was defeated.

"Ron, why won't you just tell me? It will help to talk about it."

"No it won't. You know it wont Harry. I'm not going to get her back. Not with Malfoy around anyway. So what difference does it make talking about it? It is done, over and there is nothing I can do about it."

"I thought you would have put up more of a fight than this," Harry admitted. "Do you remember how Hermione told you that she wanted to end your marriage? She still wants to Ron. It will be easier if you just sign the papers, maybe spend a few months apart or so, you might be able to retain your friendship."

"What do you mean, just sign the papers?" Ron almost shouted. "I'm not going to sign any papers. She may want to end our marriage but I sure as hell don't"

"But you just said you knew you were never going to get her back?"

"I thought you were my friend?"

"I am"

"Then why are you on her side?" Ron accused

"I'm not on anyone's side," Harry protested

"Sure you're not," Ron said, voice slick with sarcasm. "She has just sent you to soften me up, get me to sign the papers and agree to anything she wants." Harry tried to cut in but Ron just kept going. "You know, Malfoy has probably got her under a spell or something. Maybe even the imperious curse. I'm sure he would be capable of it and his father mostly would have taught him."

"Okay Ron, that's enough!" Harry exclaimed. He didn't need Ron speculating about Malfoy right now. He needed Ron's focus to be on Hermione and what he had done so that their marriage was broken. "I'm not on Hermione's side. But I'm not on your side either. I'm the neutral party in this whether I like it or not. You need to understand that no matter how much you try to change it and make everything right, your relationship with Hermione has suffered due to your stupidity and desperation. So may eventually forgive you but I doubt she could ever forget what you tried to do."

Ron sat with his elbows on his knees, both hands around his half empty bottle and head hung in what Harry thought was either sorrow or shame, maybe even both. He didn't like to see his friends like this. "I know it has to be really hard for you to hear and accept, but if it comes down to a decision having to be made by the courts because you were too stubborn to negotiate the terms of your and Hermione's split, she will get it her way. She wouldn't be as cruel as to leave you with nothing and I think she might even be very fair about it, but the judge will rule in her favour, not yours."

Ron looked up at Harry after he finished speaking, really looked at him and saw through his eyes how much it was hurting Harry to watch his best friends fall apart, how much he wanted them both to just be friends again and stop the fighting. It pained Ron to do it, to watch his best friend hurt so much for him, but he couldn't just let Hermione go. Not without a fight and not willing into Malfoy's arms. Ron shock his head at Harry's pleading eyes. "I can't do it Harry. I'm sorry, but I cant just let her go. I have to try."

"Try to win back her friendship, yes. But your marriage… no Ron, no," Harry said, shaking his head at the last words.

Neither man spoke for a long while after that. Ron sat back and started to drink again and Harry opened his butterbeer and drank from it. They shared several drinks after that and also sharing a very late dinner in silence. Eventually Harry spoke and they played a few games of wizards chess before they were both too tired to think. Harry crushed on the couch and Ron went to his bed some time in the early morning.

---

Harry apperated at the Ministry late the next morning after waking up with a headache (nothing a small potion couldn't fix) and a rambling stomach, which had been satisfied with a big English breakfast. He wasn't as bright and cheery as he usually was when he arrived at work but he was close. He was greeted with warm smiling faces and many 'good morning Mr. Potter''s as he made his way up to his office.

(Write paragraph to do with Harry's work)

It was about half an hour later that he heard a knock on his door. "Come in," he called without looking up from what he was doing. Harry heard the door open and close before he lifted his head to see who had entered his office. "Oh, hello Hermione. What's up?"

"I thought I would come up and find out how last night went with Ron," Hermione said not really knowing what Harry would tell her.

"He is still as stubborn as ever," Harry stated. "Sit down. Do you want a cup of tea?"

"Yeah, that would be nice," said Hermione as she took a seat in front of Harry's desk. Harry turned in his chair and waved his wand at the tea things sitting on the filing cabinet behind his desk. The small white teapot poured piping hot tea into two cups then milk added itself to one of the cups and Harry waved his wand again so the each cup with its matching saucer floated over to them. The tea with milk headed for Hermione hands and the one without floated down to land in front of Harry on his desk.

"He isn't going to make this easy for either of us, is he?" Hermione asked and then blew across her tea before drinking some.

"No, he isn't going to make it easy. I tried to tell him that you didn't want to lose him altogether and that you wanted to be as painless as possible but he will not give up on your marriage without a fight." Harry paused to drink some of his own tea and then continued. "He has almost totally excepted that he wont change your mind and he knows what he did was totally unacceptable but I think it me be Malfoy that is making him so determined to fight to stay married to you. I don't think he would be able to stand you being happy with Malfoy instead of him."

"I can't help who I fall in love with Harry. If Ron really did love me he would let me be happy with anyone including Draco."

"I know Hermione. I know but trying to tell Ron that... well, it isn't easy."

"I'm sure it isn't," Hermione sighed. She drank some more of her tea. "Thank you Harry. I know it must have been really hard for you to do what you did last night."

"You're my friends. Neither of you left my side when I needed you the most and I'm not going to leave either of you when you need me the most." Harry saw all the emotion in Hermione's eyes and instinctive got up and walked around his desk to give her the comforting hug from a friend that she so desperately needed.

---

A week past and Draco had finalised the divorce contract. He sent a copy to Ron and gave Hermione her own copy. He also sent a letter with Ron's copy informing him that he was Hermione's legal representative and that if he wanted to contest the divorce the papers he would be happy to speak to his lawyer.

Harry had been going to Ron's house each night and he seemed to have made a minute amount of progress. No where near enough of a difference to get Ron to sign the contract straight out. Ron himself had even admitted that Hermione wasn't asking for anything Ron won't have given her or thought she had a right to. He wasn't signing it because he wanted to keep Malfoy from moving too far in on Hermione for as long as he possibly could. You might say he was being slightly possessive of her.

Of course Draco had other plans and he and Hermione had gotten very close in the past week. Hermione had pushed her conscience to the side and enjoyed Draco company for what it was. She had even slept with Draco in his bed for the first time the night before last. She was beginning to feel a lot more comfortable with him and the idea of them being together for a long while to come.

Three nights after Hermione had started in Draco's bed she had this nagging voice in her head telling her that something wasn't right but try as she may, she could not figure out what was wrong. She thought it might have been her conscience kicking in again but the feeling wasn't the same as it had been when it was her conscience. No, it was something else. She thought she might not be getting enough exercise, enough fresh air so during her lunch hour she started to go for walks with her friend Samantha from the muggle department of the Ministry. The walks helped but after a few weeks the nagging feeling was back again.

Hermione finally told Harry about it over their fortnightly lunch together. He didn't know what it was but he suggested that maybe she should go to St. Mungo's for a check up if it was bothering her that much. She took his advice and made an appointment for the next morning and told her boss that she would be late into the office due to an unavoidable personal engagement.

Hermione apperated into St. Mungo's and took the elevator down to the general clinic. A medi-wizard called her named out and asked her to follow him into one of the examination rooms.

When she walked into the examination room she instinctively moved towards the bed, as if to sit down on it while the nice wizard examined her. She had never come to the wizard hospital for an ordinary check up before. The medi-wizard noticed her movement towards the bed. "On the chair will be fine," he said calmly as if many people did the same thing each time they walked into the room. He sat on the chair situated in front of a desk in the right hand corner of the room and Hermione saw the chair the wizard had been referring to was sat beside the desk and placed so the person sitting on it would be facing the medi-wizard at the desk.

After Hermione was seated the medi-wizard spoke again. "So what seems to be the problem Ms... Mrs Weasley." He said the last words after looking at the papers in from of him. Hermione tired not to show the wizard her discomfort at being called by Mrs. Weasley and answered the question. "Well, I have been feeling a bit off colour for the past few mornings and for a few weeks before that this weird feeling started, like I may have been under a spell or something." Hermione tried to explain how she had been feeling in a rational way to the medi-wizard.

"I see. Have you been experiencing any abnormal behaviour over these weeks?" asked the wizard as he pulled a quill from the draw of the desk, dipped it in the ink bottle on the desk and started to write a few words down on the parchment that had Hermione's name written on it.

"No, the feeling hasn't affected my behaviour." Hermione thought for a few seconds as the wizard began to write again and then added, "Although I think it may have made me happier than what I usually am. Made me look at thing in more of a positive light, if you know what I mean."

"And you couldn't count this change in attitude to anything else that has changed in your life over the past weeks?"

Hermione's thoughts went directly to Draco. "Maybe but I would still like to make sure it is not a spell or potion."

"Okay then." The medi-wizard stopped writing and stood up. He told Hermione to stand in the middle of the room and she did so without questioning. He took his wand from his pocket, waving it a few times in front of her and then letting it go. As soon as he did so the wand whizzed around Hermione's body. She turned to follow it with her eyes as it moved but it was too fast and it was changing colours so fast that she felt a little dizzy after 30 seconds.

The wand whizzed around her for another minute before it stopped in front of her, glowing a bright pink and pointing at her stomach. A smile grew on the medi-wizards face. "Ah, it all fits now. I don't know why I didn't think of it before."

Hermione looked down at the wand still glowing pink and pointing at her stomach. She looked back at the medi-wizard and asked "Think of what?"

"You, Mrs. Weasley, are pregnant," he pronounced.

"What?" Hermione said in astonishment. "You have got to be joking?"

"I don't joke much Mrs. Weasley," he stated grabbing his wand from the air in front of Hermione. He watch it lose the pink glow and then placed it on the desk. "And my wand doesn't lie either. It was pointing at your stomach and glowing pink. Positive result for a pregnant woman."

"I just don't know how this could have happened," Hermione confided.

"Were you and your partner not trying to have a baby?" the medi-wizard questioned.

His use of the word 'partner' made her think that the father of the baby could be Draco when before all she had in her head was that she hadn't spelt with Ron in nearly two months. Hermione walked backwards to lean against the bed. She was feeling a bit overwhelmed by this news. "I'll take that as a no."

"Are you able to tell me who the father is?" Hermione asked.

"Not right now Mrs. Weasley." The wizard sat down in his chair facing Hermione. "But if you were to make another appointment and bring your partner in with you the test is a simply procedure."

By the way he was talking Hermione could almost swear he knew that she wasn't with her husband anymore. The way he said partner was as if he knew it was someone other than Mr. Weasley. But how the wizard knew wasn't her problem. Finding out whether the father of her child was Draco or Ron was.

"Is there any way I would be able to preform the test myself?" Hermione asked hopefully.

The medi-wizard seemed to think about that before answering. "I think I would be able to teach you the spell."

---

After a quick lesson on how to preform the paternity spell Hermione found that she hadn't lost her knack for learning new things at a fast pace. Now all she had to do was test her new ability. She took a late lunch break, as she had arriving at work an hour after her usual starting time, during which she went to Draco's apartment.

She found the blonde man sound sleep in his bed. He looked so peaceful laying there. She wanted to lean over and kiss his forehead like you would a child's, maybe even climb onto the bed and curl up beside him but she resited the urge. He was a light sleeper and he might wake up if she touched him.

No, she couldn't afford that. She knew he wouldn't let her do the spell without asking questions and if he started asking questions she knew she would have to tell him she was pregnant. If he wasn't the father, she wasn't sure how he would take it. With him asleep she could preform the test and decide how and what to tell him depending on the result.

She pulled her wand out and waved it as the medi-wizard had told her to do. She whispered the words and two streams of white light spread from her wand. One towards her stomach and the other towards Draco. As the light touched each of its destinations it didn't change to a bright yellow as the wizard said it would if the man was the father. Instead it just disappeared and Draco opened his eyes sleepily.

"Hermione?" he asked is a soft sleep-filled voice. "What are you doing here?" He began to set up.

"No, don't sit up. I was just leaving. You should go back to sleep. I'm sure you're really tired after work," Hermione said trying to persuade Draco not to get up on her account.

"Why aren't you at work?" Draco was now sitting up and ignoring Hermione's words.

"I took a late lunch break," Hermione answered.

"So then why aren't you at lunch?"

"I missed you and came to see whether you were awake or not."

"You know you aren't that good a liar, although I do appreciate the thought."

Hermione looked puzzled. "Why do you think I'm lying?"

"Because you're wand is out and it was the white light that woke me up."

Hermione sat down on the end of the bed. "Draco… I don't really know how to tell you this."

"Tell me what?"

"I'm pregnant."


End file.
